Frederick wayerley shipman



(No Model.)

1?. W. SHIPMAN.

PORTABLE THEATER. No. 597,890. Patented Jan. 25, 1898.

FIE1.E.

Wit macaw rz k Waverlzu SHIPMHN, gwuewtoz UNITED STATES PATENT rErcE.

FREDERICK YVAVERLEY SHIPMAN, OF TORONTO, CANADA.

PO RTAB LE. TH EATER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 597,890, dated January 25, 1898. Application tiled March 5, 1897 Serial No. 626,164. (No model.) Patented in Canada February 3,1897, No. 54,836.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I FREDERICK WAVERLEY SHIPMAN, a citizen of the Dominion of Canada, residing at Toronto, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Theaters, (for which I have obtained Canadian Paten-t No. 54,836, dated February 3, 1897;) and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to theaters; and it consists in the novel construction and combination of the parts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional diagram showing a plan View of a theater constructed according to this invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the same.

A is the body of a railroad-car provided with wheels a and a roof 7). The body A is made as long and as wide as practicable, and the wheels a. are preferably smaller than those usually used. The roof Z; is built as high as possible and is as nearly flat as will permit rain-water to drain off it.

B are steps of approved construction at each end of the car-body.

O is the ticket-office just inside the doorway b at the front end of the car, and O is a chamber for the heating apparatus opposite the ticket-ofiioe.

D are the seats or benches, arranged on each side of the center aisle cl in the usual manner. The center aisle is made very narrow, so that three persons can sit on each bench or seat. The floor 01 of the car is inclined,

the front end next to the entrance-doorway I) being the higher. The front end of the floor is higher than that of an ordinary car, and its rear end is lower. In this manner a sufficient inclination can be obtained to permit all persons to have a good view of the stage without raising the front end of the floor to an inconvenient height.

E is the stage at the rear end of the carbody. This stage is fitted with adrop-curtain, foot-lights, and scenery of approved construction.

E is a space or compartment under the stage, to which access can be had by trapdoors in the stage. This space can be util- -ized to produce stage effects and for storage purposes. Access to the stage is obtained through the rear doorway e of the car and a transverse passage -way e, provided with steps g, behind the rear scene f. A separate car is coupled on behind the stage and is used as a dressing-car by the performers.

This car is used for giving theatrical and other similar entertainments in rural districts, through which it is transported over railroads, and is left in sidings for the purpose of giving the entertainments.

If desired, balconies can be attached to the sides of the car at g for the purpose of furnishing additional seating accommodation.

What I claim is A portable theater, comprising a car-body mounted on wheels and provided with an inclined floor and doors at each end, a stage raised above the lower end of the floor, a rear FREDERICK WAYERLEY SIHPMAN.

Witnesses RosALIND VVEBLING, LUCY WEBLING. 

